After a last chance, a first proposal
by luksinatriks
Summary: Colonel Schaeffer of the 13th penal legion called the Last chancers catches up with one of the people who took his last chance and earned redemption, making something out of themselves and leading a better life. The two recollect about their missions together and talk about what the future has in stall for them. One shot, but I may retroactively write it by popular demand.


"Commander…" Colonel Schaeffer uttered in his grumbled voice, so used to bellowing orders as he stood in front of a desk behind which sat a familiar face.

"Colonel…" Svetlana answered, her blond hair and slightly red eyelids, a consequence of a minor mutation or adaption, were her signature marks. He had not seen her in 3 years. He was thankful to the Emperor for that fact. They exchanged glares and glances which spoke volumes without the need for words to be uttered.

"So… from criminal scum to a commander… quite a raise if you ask me." He said with uncommon causality as Svetlana opened up a box on her desk, offering him a cigar.

"Yes indeed. I do hope you still smoke the same brand…" She said as he took one cigarette and nodded, lighting it as his mechanical blue eyes gazed upon her, unblinking. His mechanical arm held the cigar as they exchanged more wordless glances. Finally she spoke. "So… to what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked finally. "Have I ordered the chimera to be parked 0.1 inches the wrong way? Or has the penal legion decided to scrap the penal part?" she asked, with no fear as usual.

"hmmm…" he responded. "Im afraid I have to disappoint you… I am not that kind of person, you were given your last chance and you took it, earning your redemption… and nothing so far I have seen indicates that you need another last chance." He spoke through his teeth as he held the cigar in his mouth. "Still, why keep these." He said playing with the cigar. "I thought you didn't smoke?" he asked.

"and I don't…" she responded, the atmosphere lighting up finally. "I keep them since a lot of other officers and NCOs do… I don't want to do absolutely anything that could send me anywhere else… be it a penal legion or a firing squad…" she said making references only the Colonel knew.

"hmm…" he uttered a sound of approval.

"Still Im sure you and our lovely Imperium can come up with any number of good reasons to do anything…" she sighed. "But I see that you didn't answer my question… what is the motive behind this lovely visit?" she asked and he smoked the last of the cigar. Ever since he got augmented lungs he was smoking like crazy, but she decided against telling him that as she offering him a new cigar.

"Im sorry to disappoint you." He said with little emotion. "But Im here to be on your wedding day… as far as I understand you are still to pick the best man?" he asked, his blue mechanic eyes still locked in place as her face betrayed shock and she was rarely surprised. "All the good candidates died a long time ago… so I decided to volunteer." He added. She thought of how to respond.

"How did you know? Who told you? When?" she asked formally as he waited, enjoying his cigar before responding.

"I have my sources…" he simply stated.

"Ahhh…. Just when I was hoping I would out live you and be finally left alone…" she sarcastically commented.

"Many have thought like that before." He said playing with his cigar and she sighed rolling her eyes.

"Still, you cant outlive the Imperium…" she responded with resignation. There was a silence. "Are you happy?" she asked him but he didn't so much as flinch. "You couldn't brake me when I was in the 13th.. you couldn't make me care less… yet now for the first time in my life when I actually have something to lose you come here…" she said and he merely smoked his cigar, seemingly ignoring her. "I see… it's a long game that you play Colonel…" she added and he smirked.

"I said…" he finally spoke. "I have to disappoint you…" he said savoring the dwindling cigar. "I maybe the harshest man you know… but I also like to think I am fair." He responded. For a moment she thought, recollecting.

"I was raised on a penal colony… descendant of unknown criminals…" she began and he listened as he lit another cigar, the office starting to be clouded by smoke. "I didn't chose to join the guard… I was press ganged…" she added. There was a pause "But you know all of this." He breathed out smoke as he lit another cigar.

"hmmm…" he spoke and she waited. Finally she continued. "And you along with the rest of your 'regiment' were harassed to no end by your officers and commissars." He continued for her.

"Yes!" she declared proudly and defiantly. "and I fragged them!" the proud was ever present in her voice. He smirked.

"13 of them in one day…" he said finally moving to sit in a chair. "I never told you this, because it would swell your ego, but after you killed them unusually your unit's performance improved. Usually when there are no commissars or officers present penal regiments fall apart at best." He spoke, once more lightening the atmosphere. She smirked.

"Thanks Colonel… that eases my soul." She spoke trying to sound as honest as possible.

"mhm." He nodded and took out the cigar out of his mouth. "I said I am fair Commander…" he spoke to Svetlana, easing up. "When I picked up the remnants of your regiment and saw that you had the balls to defy me and challenge my authority with little regard for your 18 year old life… I was impressed." He spoke with honesty, his eyebrows rising, making his scars and mechanical blue eyes more pronounced. "I knew that either I had a very good soldier… or a very risky one." He said and she felt both emboldened and saddened.

"Ahhhh…" she exhaled, recalling how the Colonel gave his speech to his hand picked recruits. She was the only one with the balls to stop and challenge him.

"And as I said I am fair…" he continued. "You took your chance did your duty and… how your free." He waved his hands with sarcastic drama, a thing he rarely did but did honestly. "Not only that… but I have had people with pettier 'crimes'. A man defending his sister from rape by his officer. A man not praying to the machine god the required number of times." He said as he rose his feet to her desk putting out the cigar. Thankfully he didn't take another. "So… enjoy life, Svetlana, as you do… Im just here to…" he said thinking of the word. "Look after you…" he said and she smirked.

"Thanks, Colonel…" she said with some emotion, recalling her days as both a sniper and close quarter specialist in the 13th… she had to do 8 missions… and she did them, surviving each one. Quite a miracle in fact.

"Who's the lucky bastard?" the Colonel asked and her eyes widened.

"You haven't heard?" she asked and he cocked his head. "Its Bodin…" she said, before adding. "Quick knives, sir." She added and this time Schaeffer was surprised, gasping slightly.

"A romance in the 13th?" he proclaimed and she nodded. There was a moment of silence as he contemplated this. "When you asked me if you will be allowed to leave the guard and go on some normal planet to live after the 13th… I said yes… I hope you don't mind." He said, changing the topic.

"Oh no." she responded. "While I wasn't exactly happy to get assigned to a fortress world, no one has invaded this piece of rock for a millennia. Ill most likely live out my life here and hopefully my children will join and serve with honor. Who knows maybe they get an actual education and rise through the ranks as I did, hell maybe become nobles even." She said and he smiled with his scared face. "Its far from perfect, but its even farer form the shit than is most peoples lives in the galaxy." She explained and he nodded with a smirk.

"So you really have turned a new leaf? Never imagined you as a mother." He said honestly, licking his lips. "Do you love him?" he asked, not having a partner himself. It just wasn't his style…

"Yes… with all my heart." She said honestly and he was surprised, he never saw or honestly looked for any romance between the two when they were in the 13th. "And I assure you Ill try my best to be a good mom." She defiantly said… so childish… and she was!

"Well… Ill try to gather what remains of your buddies from the 13th to come to the wedding. It will boost morale… if you will have us of course." He explained and she lightened up completely, smiling. She was pretty for the genes she got and the environment she was raised and lived in, even Schaeffer noticed that and he wasn't much of a ladies man.

"Of course sir! It will be an honor!" she proclaimed and with a smirk which he didn't bother to hide he got up.

"Very well then! Send me all the details, date and place. As you were, commander." He said turning around and leaving.

"Yes, sir!" he heard from behind him as he left her office. He didn't want to admit to anyone but… he was honestly very glad when someone from his last chancers took the last chance… and made something of themselves and their lives. Emperor who watches over all on Terra… the feeling was great.


End file.
